Biography
Yo-Yo Ma

Works

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma was born in Paris, France, in 1955. He began his cello studies with his father at the age of four and gave his first public recital when he was five. After moving with his family to New York City, he continued cello studies with Janos Scholz, beginning in 1962, followed by lessons with Leonard Rose from 1964 to 1971 at the Juilliard School of Music. He attended Harvard University, where he studied the humanities and played cello in his spare time. His active performing career began after graduation from Harvard in 1976, at which time he was already being compared to two of the twentieth century's best-known cellists, Mstislav Rostropovich and the legendary Pablo Casals (d. 1973). In 1978, Ma was awarded the Avery Fisher Prize.

Ma made his first recordings in 1979, for the Lyrita label. In 1980, he formed an exclusive relationship with the Sony Classical recording company (at that time, CBS Masterworks), for which he has produced well over fifty issues. His recordings include most of the standard cello repertoire--solo, concerto, and chamber--as well as less-known works and contemporary compositions written especially for him. In the 1980s he developed a performing rapport with pianist Emanuel Ax, violinist Isaac Stern, and violinist/violist Jaime Laredo. Their recordings together are still hailed as among the best of the genre. More recently, Ma has made recordings on a Baroque-period cello.

Ma has also performed and made recordings of the music of the crossover and world genres. Among these are a collaboration with singer/composer Bobby McFerrin; two recordings of Japanese melodies; the "Appalachian" series, with violinist/bluegrass fiddler Marc O'Connor and composer/double bass player Edgar Meyer; tango recordings with--and in tribute to--Argentinian music pioneer Astor Piazzolla; the Silk Road Project recordings; and Ma's recent work with Brazilian musicians, featuring sambas, bossa novas, and other Brazilian music. Ma has currently won fifteen Grammy Awards.

Throughout his career, Yo-Yo Ma has been an avid supporter of music and arts education. While on tour, he regularly conducts master classes for aspiring musicians as well as more informal music appreciation programs for general audiences.

O'Connor, Mark
Song of the Liberty Bell (folk version)
Surrender the Sword
Song of the Liberty Bell (for violin and strings)
Traditional
Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier
Soldier's Joy
The World Turned Upside Down
The Flowers of Edinburgh
Brave Wolf
Devil's Dream
Shield, William
When Bidden to the Wake or the Fair
Law, Andrew
Bunker Hill
Einhorn, Richard
Freedom

Morricone, Ennio
The Mission: Gabriel's Oboe
The Mission: The Falls
Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: "Playing Love," from The Legend of 1900
Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: "Nostalgia," from Cinema Paradiso
Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: "Looking for You (Love Theme)," from Cinema Paradiso
Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: "Malena (Main theme)"
Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: "Remembering (Ricordare)"
Sergio Leone Suite: "Deborah's Theme," from Once Upon A Time In America
Sergio Leone Suite: "Cockeye's Song," from Once Upon a Time in America
Sergio Leone Suite: Main Theme from Once Upon a Time in America
Sergio Leone Suite: Main Theme from Once Upon a Time in the West
Sergio Leone Suite: "Ecstasy of Gold," from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Brian DePalma Suite: Main Theme from Casualities of War
Brian DePalma Suite: Death Theme from The Untouchables
Moses and Marco Polo Suite: "Journey." from Moses
Moses and Marco Polo Suite: Theme from Moses
Moses and Marco Polo Suite: Main Theme from Marco Polo
The Lady Caliph: Dinner
The Lady Caliph: Nocturne

This discography was assembled using available catalog records, internet
resources, discographies, and other works. Especially included
are the performers' Library of Congress concert appearances, the recordings
of which reside in the Library of Congress's Recorded Sound collections. Excluded
are the numerous promotional and special market reissues
of excerpts of complete recordings.

While many of the recordings listed here are in the collections of the Library of Congress, not all are. If you have a question about specific recordings, please contact the Recorded Sound Reference Center at 202-707-7833. All recordings listed are protected by applicable Federal and State laws. The Library of Congress cannot provide copies of any of these recordings without proper permission from the copyright holder(s).